The Bottineau pioneer., 1887-03-31
THE RAGING MISSOURI.
The Missouri River Ice Breaks at Bis
marck, Gorges at sibley Island and
Makes Mischief.

BISMARCK, Special Telegram, March 49,
The gorge at Washburn gave way during the
night, and at 6 O'Clock this morning the
river began rising at this point Although
the ice was still solid the force Of the rush.
ing torrents from above broke it up into
large cakes, many of them acres in extent
Below the great Northern Pacific bridge
these huge cakes swung to and fro for a
time, but as the water rose gradually drifted
down stream, only to be checked at Sibley
island, five miles below, where the cakes up
heaved one against the other until perfect
wall was formed At 8 o'clock this gorge
had extended back to the railroad bridge.
and the only escape for the water was on the
low lands on the Mandan side and the
meadow lands south Of Bismarck. In less
than two hours from the time the water
began to swell, the high water mark of 1881
was not far above the surging stream. The
stream took a strange course, and while the
high water mark Of 1881 was reached in
Mandan long before noon the strealp at this
side lacked several feet of that mark. The
channel shifted in such a way that during
the early morning hours the entire sea of ice
was sent
CRASHING THROUGH THE TIMBER
on the Mandan side, and the streets of tho
West Missouri city were transformed into
running rivera The greatest amount Of
damage thus far known to have been sus-
tanned was at the river landing. where tho
Northern Pacific boarding houses and ware
houses, which were supposed to be located
above the danger line, were caught by the
maddened waters and knocked about by the
surging ice like chips before a cyclone. At
10 O'Clock the water undermined the i'm
mense warehouse of the Northern Pacific
railroad, and the ice pushed the upper end
of the building far out into the river For q
few moments all hope Of saving the build
ing was abandoned The ropes and braces
that had been applied were no more than
rotten threads compared with the force of the
miles Of flowing ice. Strangely enough,
just as all thought of saving the warehouse
had been abandoned, the gorge which had
formed at Sibley island reversed the upper
currents of the river, and the pressure of
the backwater retreating pushed tho build
ing back into it's place; but tho second surge
crowded it over thirty feet beck against the
bluff, and left it's full length. over 700 feet,
resting upon the railroad track. The ware
house is one of
THE LARGEST IN THE WORLD
and was constructed ut cost of $35, ,OOO
1rs floors were ruined, it's timber wrecked,
and but for the fact that the root was left
intact it would be total loss The boarding
houses were now up to their caves in water
and the ice was crushing through their walls
The water covered the ways to such depth
that the boats resting upon them were set
afoat, and for time it looked as though
there was danger ahead for the two upper
steamers At noon the pent up water cut .
channel through the meadow land south of
the ice and flowed out upon the fertile
prairie with the freedom OF q prairie
schooner before stiff breeze The entire
six Thousand acres Of low land south Of the
city were transformed into q rugged sea,
and the river expanded from three quarters
of q mile to at least six miles in
width The most serious damage was that
to the high trestle of the Northern Pacific at
the western end Of the bridge. The Ice
knocked out several benches of underpin-
ming, and it will be several days before it
can be repaired, even If the water recedes
tonight Even then it will be impossible to
resume western travel without transfer, as
at least a mile of track between the bridge
and Mandan is swept away. There is no
means Of communication whatever between
Bismarck and Mandan. The Pacific express
arriving here at noon returned to s. Paul
on the regular schedule time OF the Atlantic
express from the west tonight d.